ORANGE Hockeyroo Edwina Bone says coming away from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with any kind of medal would be a like “dream”.
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“But I don’t want to think about it ... I don’t want to jinx myself,” Bone laughed ahead of her flight to Scotland today.
To be truthful, however, it’s all Bone has been able to think about.
“It’s something you always dream about as a kid,” she continued.
“To come away from the World Cup (last June) with a medal was one of those unbelievable moments, and if we’re able to achieve similar success in Glasgow ... I don’t want to think about it. It’s a childhood thing that’s nearly a reality.”
Following a silver medal at the World Cup last month in Holland, the Hockeyroos will go into the 20th Commonwealth Games at Glasgow, Scotland, as red-hot favourites to emulate the feats of the 2010 Commonwealth Games team that won gold in New Delhi.
Definitely an “achievable goal for this year’s group”, Bone says the aim for the Hockeyroos is to put the team in the best possible position to win a medal.
“We want to be playing in a medal game,” the Kinross Wolaroi graduate said.
“It’s just a matter of which colour.”
For Bone herself, she’s aiming to continue to learn as much as she can from the international experience.
“I’m hoping to build in confidence as part of the group,” she said, earning 47 caps since debuting in national colours in 2013.
“I’m still relatively new to the team. We’re in a competitive environment, there’s plenty of competition for spots, which is good, so I’m never 100 per cent confident in my place in the team.
“We’re trying a few new things in Scotland so it’s exciting to see how we perform.”
Adam Commens’ side is likely to face stiff opposition from the likes of 2010 silver medallists New Zealand as well as England, a side Bone is predicting has a point to prove after flopping at the World Cup.
But Commens’ has warned his side of host nation Scotland, set to ride a wave of home support at Glasgow.
Set to face both the English and the Scottish ladies in the pool stages, Bone said her first Commonwealth Games experience is set to be anything but a breeze.
“It all became a bit real when we picked up our uniform on Monday,” Bone said, with Malaysia and Wales also in Pool B.
“But we’re aiming to do as well if not better than we did at the World Cup.”
The 26-year-old was looking forward to the experience of playing abroad, too.
“I’ve never been to Scotland so I usually Google the weather at most places. The conditions don’t look to be too bad over there, but I lived in Orange so I’ll be fine,” she laughed.
The Hockeyroos’ first game is against Malaysia on Thursday, July 24.